The Melodies Within Us
by booklover333
Summary: Tenten hears music one day after the next day and she wants to find out who it is and she does - Hyuuga Neji. Neji x Tenten One-shot. Rated T ONLY because of hinted child abuse when Tenten was younger. Read & Review!


****Disclaimer: The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto and I don't own them.****

****Heyyyyy! I wrote this one-shot originally like a _long_ time ago, but I forgot to finish it. So I literally finished it and edited it in like under 30 minutes. GO ME! hehe. Anyway, please read & review and tell me what you think! Thanks! :)****

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><p>She heard the music again, the same melody. <em>This time I'm going to find whoever's playing it! s<em>he thought.

Tenten, a junior in high school, walked hastily through the empty hallways of her high school, Konoha High School. She had long, silky and slightly wavy brown hair that was almost always was wound up into 2 tight buns on either side of her head, her bangs framing her face. Her eyes were as warm and cheery as her personality and she had a tall, slim figure.

Her sneakers made almost no noise walking through the hallways as she started to jog towards the sound of piano notes drifting softly in the air. She had been hearing the piano notes for 3 days but when she tried to find out who it was, they were always gone, so this time, she was determined to find the person.

She ran towards the band room, where she felt the sweet melody was coming from.

The music became louder, fueling her to keep on going. Reaching the double doors to the band room, she opened the one on the right slowly, careful not to make any noise.

There, on the dark wood piano bench sat Hyuuga Neji, a junior who was in her grade. His white, beautiful eyes were closed as his long, slender fingers danced around the white and black keys of the piano, making beautiful sounds.

Tenten closed her eyes, listening, leaning against the doorframe.

"I know you're there," he said in his low, confident voice, while still playing.

Tenten's eyes shot open, now realizing that Neji had stopped playing and was turned to her. Neji and Tenten knew each other, especially since Tenten played on the boy's soccer team, which Neji was the captain of. They had seen each other in the hallways and were in a lot of the same classes, but didn't know each other personally. "H-How did you know it was me?"

"I didn't. I just knew that someone was there." he explained, turning slightly around.

"Oh." Tenten slightly blushed, still feeling his intense gaze on her. "Um, well, sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to tell you that you're really good. I've been hearing you for days now."

Neji nodded, turning back to the piano, gliding over it with his right hand. His eyes had a sad tint to them and Tenten could notice that something was wrong.

Before she could ask, Neji said out of the blue, "My mother used to play piano."

"_Used _to?" Tenten asked.

Neji sighed and nodded. "Yeah, she died last Sunday."

Tenten gasped, she had a foster father who never cared for her and she never knew who her real parents were, so she could somewhat relate. "I…I know how you feel."

Neji turned to her again, with a raised eyebrow.

Tenten looked down. "I have no parents and um, I live alone," she said, not meeting his gaze.

Neji nodded again, understanding. "My father is dead too," he simply said. Then he realized, why was he telling all this to a girl he had only seen, not known? He hadn't even talked to her much except for about a month ago, when Tenten had dropped her pencil and he picked it up. He had received a small "thank you" but he didn't say anything back.

Neji looked at her frame, well built, definitely not weak, after all she was the only girl on the soccer team and was a bit of a tomboy. She didn't fuss over makeup, hair and clothes and had a strong aura around her.

There was just something about her that made Neji want to know her more, something that just made her really easy to talk to.

"Neji?" Tenten asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" He said.

Tenten smiled. "I asked how long have you been playing piano."

"Oh," Neji said, slightly embarrassed. "Since I was little, my mom used to teach me."

"Ah," Tenten said.

Neji looked at her. "Do you want to learn?"

Tenten looked at his eyes, seeing if they were serious or not. "Um, really? You would teach me?"

"I never said I would teach you, but if you want I can."

Tenten thought for a moment, learning piano from one of the hottest guys in the school would be fun, but it would make a lot of enemies. _Ah, screw the fangirls. I can deal with them. _ Tenten nodded. "Sure. Thanks."

Neji slid over to the left side of the large piano bench, motioning for Tenten to sit down.

Tenten hesitated for a while, but then walked over to the piano bench, sitting down next to the Hyuuga.

She blushed, feeling his knee brush hers. She wondered why she was getting so worked up over the smallest things, she never blushed!

"O-Okay. So, um, where should we start?" Tenten stuttered.

Neji shrugged. "Well do you know anything about playing piano?"

Tenten nodded. "Yeah, somewhat. I know that the piano is organized in octaves and has accidentals, flats and sharps or the black keys, and the notes go from A to G." **(A/N: I play piano, so I know a lot about it.) **

Neji nodded in approval. "At least you know some things."

"Did you write that song? The one you were playing earlier," Tenten asked.

"Ah," Neji looked away, somewhat embarrassed. "Yeah."

Tenten smiled. "Wow, you're pretty good."

"Hn," he grunted.

There was a silence and Tenten bit her lip, unsure whether or not to ask a question or not. But before she could ask it, Neji said. "You want to learn how to play it, don't you?"

Tenten grinned. "How'd you know?"

Neji shrugged. "I don't know."

Tenten laughed. "Okay, yes, Mr. Physic, I do want to learn how to play your song."

"Hn," Neji grunted again. "But first, you're going to have to learn some scales."

"Scales?" Tenten asked.

"Yes," he answered.

So for the next half an hour, Tenten learned basic scales like C Major, G Major, etc.

"Wow, it's getting late," Tenten said, looking at her watch. It was 6:00 P.M.

"Yeah, we should call it a day for today," Neji agreed.

They both gathered their things and head out the door together.

"Do you want a ride home?" Neji asked politely.

Tenten was not sure what to do. He wasn't a _total_ stranger, but they didn't know each other _that _much either. _Eh, whatever. If he tries anything funny, I'll kick his ass. _Tenten thought. It was also getting dark and she always walked home, not having the money to buy a car.

She nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

Neji lead the way to his car and opened the door for Tenten, closing it for her when he saw that she was in the passenger seat.

Neji went over to his own side of the car and slid in the driver's seat. Pulling out of the school's almost empty parking lot, he drove the car skillfully onto the now busy road, full of people going home from work.

Silence ensued, but it wasn't uncomfortable. But Tenten still didn't like it. Wanting to know him more, she turned to face him instead of looking out of the window and asked casually, "So…what do you like to do? Other than play piano, I mean." she said, trying to start a conversation.

Neji glanced at her, before turning back to the road in front of him. He didn't answer until he stopped at a red light. Shrugging he said, "Reading, soccer, listening to music, painting."

"Painting?!" Tenten shrieked.

Neji nodded unsurely, wondering why it was such a surprise to the girl.

"I have always wanted to be an artist!" After glancing at Neji, she answered as to why she couldn't be one. "I'm just not capable of having so much patience," she cleared up.

"Ah," Neji said. "But, you know, art isn't all about patience, it's also about having passion to do it."

"Yeah, I guess."

"What about you?" Neji asked.

"Huh?"

Neji sighed, not liking to repeat his question, "What do you like to do?"

"Oh," Tenten said. "Um…not much other than soccer and listening to music," she said. "Oh, um, take a right here," she pointed the street you had to turn into to get to her block.

Neji obeyed, taking a swift right.

"So, um, how…how did your mother die?" Tenten asked slowly.

She could visibly see Neji stiffen and his jaw line harden, his eyes narrow.

"Y-You don't have to answer if you don't-"

"Is this your apartment building, Tenten?" Neji said in a cold tone, cutting her off.

Tenten looked outside the window to see her apartment building. "Y-Yeah," she grabbed her bag and started to open the door when she turned back to Neji. "I-I'm sorry, that was rude of me." She got out and before she closed the door, she leaned forward and said, "Thanks for the ride home."

"See you tomorrow," he said.

Tenten tilted her head questioningly. "Tomorrow?" her face lit up. "We can do this again tomorrow?" she asked excitedly.

Neji smirked slightly, it was hard to stay angry at her bubbly personality. She was so happy and Neji wondered why, it wasn't like anything was terrific in her life. "Yeah, if you want to."

"Totally! That was so much fun!" she exclaimed.

"Hn," Neji said, a slight smirk still on his face. "Bye."

"Bye Neji! And thanks again!" she said, waving her hand.

Neji lifted a hand in acknowledgement before driving off.

Tenten ran into her apartment building.

"Hey, Genma!" she said cheerily to the security guard who was sitting at the front desk lazily.

"Yo. Why so cheery, kiddo?" he asked.

Tenten shrugged. "I'm learning to play piano."

"Really?" Genma raised one of his eyebrows. "From who?"

"A guy in my school."

"A guy?" Genma repeated darkly, he was quite protective of the girl.

Tenten laughed. "Oh, calm down, Genma! I don't like him!"

"Tch, just be careful."

"Yeah, yeah." Tenten skipped to the elevator doorway. Bounding in when the doors opened, she waved to Genma. "See you later."

He waved back as the doors closed and Tenten pushed the button for floor 3.

Walking to door number 202, Tenten whipped out her keys from her bag and unlocked her door. Her apartment was small, with a small kitchen, a comfy living room and bedroom, and a small dining area near the kitchen. It was more than enough for one person and Tenten was content with it.

Tenten flopped down on the couch to start her homework. Finishing it quickly, she hopped up to make dinner since it was nearing 7:30.

After dinner, a quick shower and changing into her pajamas, she read.

Somehow, through all of this, Tenten's thoughts kept drifting back to Neji. His eyes, his fingers, his hair, his smirk, his way of speaking, his frame.

It made her blush just thinking about him, which was out of character for her. She put her cool hands on her burning cheeks in an attempt to lessen the heat.

She decided to call it an early night, falling around 10:30.

The next day, after school, Tenten raced to the band room, eager to start practicing and to, as much as she didn't want to admit it, see Neji.

When she opened the door, he was already there.

"Hey!" she said.

Neji looked up, seeing her. "Hey."

She plopped down her bag next to the piano. "Shall we get started?" she asked eagerly.

Neji smirked at her. Her actions were that of a child's. "Sure."

He sat down next to her on the piano bench and they reviewed scales, before starting on the song.

After an hour of practice, Tenten flexed her fingers, "God, my fingers are starting to hurt."

Neji nodded, "Well, obviously. If you all of a sudden start doing something for a long period of time with your fingers, it's going to take a while to adjust."

"Yeah."

Tenten and Neji practiced for days together. Weeks started to pass by and they started becoming better friends, learning to trust each other more and more, getting to know each other better. After about 2 weeks of practice, Tenten could play a page of the song Neji wrote.

"I got it!" she exclaimed, jumping up. "I finally got the first page!"

Neji smirked. "Took you long enough," he teased.

Tenten punched his shoulder playfully. "Neji!"

His smirk widened.

Over a couple more weeks, Tenten could play the second and half of the third page, but that was it of the song, but it was still unfinished.

"You haven't finished it yet?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah. I don't know what else to write." Neji answered.

Tenten asked nervously, "C-Could I…maybe help you?"

Neji nodded, "That would be great."

So they sat together and wrote until Tenten remembered, "OH MY GOD, I HAVE A SCIENCE TEST TOMORROW!"

Neji sighed. "Me too."

"Aw damn it! I don't know anything about science!"

Neji looked at her. "Do you want me to help you?"

Tenten glared at him. "Do you have to be good at everything?"

Neji smirked. "Yeah."

Tenten rolled her eyes and grabbed her things, Neji doing the same. Tenten talked all the way to Neji's car and once they had gotten in it.

They went over to Neji's house and into his room. Flopping down on his bed, Tenten opened her science notebook and started going through her notes.

Neji and her studied with each other and then Neji offered, "Want to stay for dinner?"

"Sure."

Since Neji and Tenten both enjoyed cooking, they made dinner together.

After dinner, Tenten and Neji went back to studying.

Slowly, Tenten started to drift off.

"Tenten," Neji whispered, shaking her to get up.

"Mnhmmm," she moaned, her eyes opening slightly. Then, they flew open and she sat up, "S-Sorry. I guess I fell asleep." she said, holding back a yawn.

"It's okay," Neji paused. "It's getting late. Do you want to just stay over tonight?"

Tenten blushed. "Um, sure."

Neji took out a old t-shirt and pajama pants, giving them to Tenten who took them and went to the bathroom to change.

After changing, Tenten realized how comfortable she was in them. They were warm and they smelt like him, like fresh air and safety.

"You can take the bed," Neji said to Tenten once she reentered the room.

"W-What? No, you take the bed. It's yours!" Tenten protested.

Neji shrugged. "So? You're the guest."

"So?"

"So, it's only polite," Neji clarified.

Tenten sighed. "I know, but still. I would feel bad."

Neji yawned slightly. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bed. _Her fingers...are soft, but strong._ He gently pushed her on the bed, but before he could let go, Tenten pulled him onto the bed too. Then, started to get up to leave, but he pulled her back.

_Screw it all._ He thought before saying, "Let's just both sleep here. I honestly don't feel like getting another blanket and pillow for myself."

Tenten blushed. _What the hell am I doing? I mean, he won't try anything...right? He's Neji! Of course he won't. Stop being ridiculous, Tenten._ "O-Okay."

They both climbed under the sheets, on opposite sides of the bed, turned away from each other.

Tenten's tiredness seemed to vanish all of a sudden and she couldn't fall asleep, laying there. She turned on her back and tried to forget the other man in the same bed as her, but it was hard.

"Neji?" she whispered so softly she wasn't sure she heard herself say it.

"Yeah?" he answered.

Tenten asked, "Are you awake?"

She could almost _feel_ his smirk. "No. It's not like I'm talking to you right now," he turned on his side so he could see her.

"Oh, shut up," she said annoyed.

"Anyway, what happened?"

Tenten shrugged. "I don't know. I can't seem to sleep."

"Yeah, me either," he closed his eyes. "It's funny, not even 10 minutes ago was I yawning."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to know?" Neji asked after a while.

Tenten looked at him, trying to see his expression the dark. "Do I want to know what?"

"H-How my parents died."

Tenten was quiet for a while before saying. "Yeah. Only if you want to share it with me, though."

Neji nodded. "I want you to know. So that at least _someone_ knows."

Tenten moved a bit closer to him as he started his story.

"Well, my father died when I was younger. He… He died in a car accident. I don't really know how it happened, it's just that I know my mom was heartbroken by it. She was always sad and everything. I didn't really know my father that well, since I was so young, so as awful as it sounds - I don't feel that sad about his death," he shifted in the bed. "My mother didn't really work so we were financially falling, but then she met...another guy." Tenten noticed how his jaw hardened and his eyes turned cold.

"She ended up marrying him, about a couple of months ago and she seemed happy so I let it go, even though I didn't like guy at all," he sighed. "But then, about a few weeks before she d-died, I learned that he had been abusing her."

"W-What?!"

Neji nodded weakly. "Yeah and…she told me that she was fine," his voice started to break. "So I left her alone since she kept telling me that she could handle it. But...once in the night, I heard screaming and yelling. And...and then a loud t-thud," his eyes collected tears.

"N-Neji," Tenten whispered.

He looked down, unable to look at Tenten. "Yeah. And," tears fell down his face. "I ran in there to see him gone and my mother...d-dead."

He silently cried as Tenten lay there, in shock. After a moment, she moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. Neji didn't even flinch, in fact, he scooted closer and buried his face in the crook of her neck. It felt nice and warm there.

"I-If I had just said something before hand, s-she would still be alive. I knew...that there was something wrong or not right with t-that man. I-It's all my fault," his voice was muffled.

She rubbed his back soothingly and after a while, he calmed down.

"What about you?" he whispered against her neck. His breath sent chills down Tenten's spine.

"U-Um," she blushed at his close proximity. "A-About my parents?"

He pulled away slightly, but still kept close to her. "Yeah."

She looked away. "Um, well. I never knew my parents, they died when I was really young, so I don't know how they died. And then, my foster father, he…" she smiled bitterly and unsurely. "He used to abuse me too, that's why I ran away."

Tenten side glanced at Neji to see his eyes in shock, but also care and protection over her.

Neji suddenly pulled her flush against him and whispered against her hair, "Did he ever try anything?"

Tenten closed her eyes, relishing the moment, but then remembered the question at hand. "I-I...um, well, usually he would just hit or slap me for some reason that I don't know of. And there was this… one time. Only once though, he never tried it again. I was pretty young and he uh," she started to feel tears too, knowing the true meanings of her foster father's actions now. "H-He t-touched me in w-weird places and," she sniffled. "I don't know, I-I was young, but I don't-"

Neji pulled her away from him and shook her shoulders. "Tenten! What if he r-raped you?!"

Tenten shook her head. "No, no he didn't. I know that for a fact. D-Don't worry."

Neji looked at her caringly and hugged her again. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

She laughed softly. "Who was there to tell?"

He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Not being there," he whispered, his lips still against her forehead.

Tenten was confused. "But you didn't even know me."

"And I regret not being able to meet you before."

Tenten smiled. "Thanks, Neji."

Tenten again started to feel sleepy. Maybe it was Neji's scent, or the way he was holding her so lovingly or maybe just the fact that someone, _someone, _was there next to her for once. She liked- no she _loved_ it.

As she was drifting off, she heard Neji say, "From now on, I'll always be there to protect you. I swear." He held her closer and she snuggled into his chest more, breathing him in.

Neji heard a small, tired, "thanks" come from her and he smiled, truly smiled - for the first time in ages - knowing that Tenten was truly grateful for him. Kissing the top of her head, he showed through his actions what he couldn't say...not yet.

_I love you. _

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Heyy! How did you like it? Cheesy? Bad? Meh? I thought that it wasn't all THAT cheesy, but the title kinda is. But it does go well with message of this cute, fluffy NejiTen one-shot, so yeah. Please review!

~booklover333


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